Weak transhumanism: moderate enhancement as a non-radical path to radical enhancement

Brennan, C. (2023) Weak transhumanism: moderate enhancement as a non-radical path to radical enhancement. Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics, 44, pp. 229-248. (doi: 10.1007/s11017-023-09606-6) (PMID:36780070)

Abstract

Transhumanism aims to bring about radical human enhancement. In ‘Truly Human Enhancement’ Agar (2014) provides a strong argument against producing radically enhancing effects in agents. This leaves the transhumanist in a quandary—how to achieve radical enhancement whilst avoiding the problem of radically enhancing effects? This paper aims to show that transhumanism can overcome the worries of radically enhancing effects by instead pursuing radical human enhancement via incremental moderate human enhancements (Weak Transhumanism). In this sense, weak transhumanism is much like traditional transhumanism in its aims, but starkly different in its execution. This version of transhumanism is weaker given the limitations brought about by having to avoid radically enhancing effects. I consider numerous objections to weak transhumanism and conclude that the account survives each one. This paper’s proposal of ‘weak transhumanism’ has the upshot of providing a way out of the ‘problem of radically enhancing effects’ for the transhumanist, but this comes at a cost—the restrictive process involved in applying multiple moderate enhancements in order to achieve radical enhancement will most likely be dissatisfying for the transhumanist, however, it is, I contend, the best option available.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: This work was supported by the Arts and Humanities Research Council.
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Brennan, Cian
• Authors: Brennan, C.
• College/School: College of Arts & Humanities > School of Humanities > Philosophy
• Journal Name: Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics
• Publisher: Springer
• ISSN: 1386-7415
• ISSN (Online): 1573-1200
• Published Online: 13 February 2023
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2023 The Author
• First Published: First published in Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics 44:229–248
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License